Wrestle Kingdom XVII
Date: January 4, 2023
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton, Gino Gambino
It’s time to go back to New Japan for a promotion that I have not looked at since last year’s Wrestle Kingdom. As tends to be the case with this show, I’m coming in mostly blind, save for knowing the wrestlers involved. The main event is Jay White defending the IWGP World Title against Kazuchika Okada, who he took the title from back in June. Let’s get to it.
WWE NXT Europe Debuting In 2023 Replacing NXT UK, Worlds Collide PLE on Sept. 4
It has been announced by WWE that the NXT UK brand will be no more and its place will be a new creation called NXT Europe in 2023.
Kazuchika Okada Wins G1 Climax 32
Kazuchika Okada has won the G1 Climax 32 Tournament, defeating Will Ospreay in a hard-fought final.
NXT UK Talent Believe The Brand Is “Not Long For The World”
After a number of it’s stars appeared on the most recent episode of NXT 2.0 the future of NXT UK looks increasingly uncertain.
Forbidden Door
Date: June 26, 2022
Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Kevin Kelly
It’s a special show as we have a host of international guest stars from New Japan coming in for a bunch of big time matches. The main event is for the Interim AEW World Title as CM Punk being stripped of the title was off the table. Other than that, we have a series of title matches which should make for a great show. Let’s get to it.
Wrestle Kingdom XVI Night Three
Date: January 8, 2022
Location: Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan
Attendance: 7,077
Commentators: Chris Charlton, Kevin Kelly
We finally come tot he last night of this event and this show is going to be the most unique of them all. Instead of a traditional show, this is Pro Wrestling Noah vs. New Japan Pro Wrestling in a battle for supremacy. Noah showed up yesterday to say they were better and little else has been brought up about the show, so I have no idea what to expect. Let’s get to it.
Wrestle Kingdom XVI Night Two
Date: January 5, 2022
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 6,379
Commentators: Chris Charlton, Kevin Kelly
It’s the second of three nights of this show and this one feels like the biggest. Last night’s main event saw Kazuchika Okada win the IWGP World Title again, which leaves him ready for his first defense against Will Ospreay. The second biggest match on the card is Kenta defending the United States Title against Hiroshi Tanahashi in a No DQ match, which could be a heck of a fight. Let’s get to it.
Wrestle Kingdom XVI Night One
Date: January 4, 2022
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 12,047
Commentators: Chris Charlton, Kevin Kelly
It’s back to Japan for the first time in about a year, though the company does feel a good bit colder this time around. The pandemic and a slew of injuries have battered New Japan, but this show’s reputation is more than enough to warrant a look. The main event of this first night is Kazuchika Okada challenging Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Title, with the winner facing Will Ospreay tomorrow night. Let’s get to it.
Note that I do not regularly follow New Japan so I won’t know much in the way of storylines or recent character development. Please bear with me if I miss something that commentary does not explain.
Wrestle Kingdom XV Night One
Date: January 4, 2021
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 12,689
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton, Rocky Romero
It’s time for the biggest non-American show of the year and like last year it’s going to take place over the course of two nights. The main event is for the still unified IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Titles, which have been together for a year now for some reason. This show almost always delivers and hopefully it does so again. Let’s get to it.
Hello You!
As of checking today the 2019 J Cup isn’t up on New Japan World yet, but the Royal Quest show from last week in London is, so that’s what we’ll look at today. I’ve actually managed to avoid all spoilers for it, so this will be a complete surprise to me. I’m fully expecting J Cup spoilers though, mainly because this show happened after that tournament concluded, but I’ll refrain from writing them here in case you are also holding out to find out what happened (Kind of weird from New Japan actually, you’d think that they’d upload the shows in order because watching this show kind of ruins the J Cup?) If everyone else could please kindly refrain from J Cup spoilers in the comments then that would be nice as well, just in case we have some readers here who are waiting to watch it and don’t want it spoiled. Cheers!
The big match on top of course will be Kazuchika Okada Vs Everyone’s Favourite Angry Old Man Minoru Suzuki, in a match which I am mightily excited for!
So let’s quit my jibber jabbering and watch some chuffing wrestling!
Hello You!
We’re back with some more A Block Action, the Block that has been making all the other Blocks jealous!
Last time out in the A Block Kazuchika Okada and SANADA had a fantastic bout that I went all in with a ***** rating for the first time in this year’s G1 Climax tournament. Tonight Okada takes on SANADA’s regular tag team partner in the form of EVIL. Will he be able to get another ****+ match this time out?
Let’s settle in and find out shall we?
Hello You!
We’re back with some more A Block Action, a Block which has been described as, and I quote, “Lovely Stuff”. Not my words everyone, but the words of Shakin’ Stevens!
Here we are with Night Thirteen, and I wonder who will have an unlucky Round 7 in the A Block? Kazuchika Okada currently sits atop the Block with a perfect record and looks as untouchable as Newcastle United did during the Christmas of 1995. However, that eventually all ended going a bit wrong for The Magpies, so Okada being top right now doesn’t guarantee he still will be when all is said and done.
I’m excited to see what happens next, so why don’t we watch some wrestling and find out eh?
Hello You!
Here we are back with some A Block Action!
I’m currently out in the countryside of Wales for a family trip, but when the Wi-Fi decides it wants me to I can still just about manage to stream New Japan World, hence here I am getting my G1 fix! I’ll hopefully find some time tomorrow to do Night Ten, as well as try to get Hardcore TV up as usual. This might mean no 205 Live this week but, if I can find the time and the WWE Network feels like behaving, I’ll get caught up on that as well.
But anyway, less prattling from me, let’s watch some gosh darn wrestling!
Hello You!
Here we are back with some A Block Action!
Thanks for everyone who has been reading these. I’m honestly somewhat grateful that there’ll be a bit of a break following this one, as staying on top of the G1 is never easy. We’re getting to the stage now where people all but officially go out of the running, so we should properly start to see A Block taking shape now.
So without further ado, let’s journey back to the world of New Japan for some top notch Puro competition!
Ring of Honor/New Japan G1 Supercard
Date: April 6, 2019
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Colt Cabana, Ian Riccaboni
My goodness it feels wrong to be typing that for another company. This is the indy/non-WWE main event of the weekend and the only show that stands a fighting chance to topple NXT for best event of the weekend. It’s a combination Ring of Honor/New Japan card and the first time New Japan gets to take the big stage in the big time. Let’s get to it.
